Mattie Stepanek, Died three weeks before his 14th birthday - Poet and Inspiration
He Shared in his last hours of life, "I write to express my thoughts, my feelings,I want people to think."
Mattie began writing poetry at 3 to cope with the death of a brother. In 2001, a small Virginia publisher issued a slim volume of his poems, called ''Heartsongs.'' Within weeks, the book was on the New York Times best-seller list, and he soon appeared on Oprah Winfrey's talk show and on ''Good Morning America.''
His famous quotes:
- "There can be many different views of what Heaven is like, because Heaven is whatever makes each person eternally and fully happy."
- "The way of life is not as easy as some people think... like me"
- "While we are living in the present, we must celebrate life every day, knowing that we are becoming history with every work, every action, every deed"
- "Keep all special thoughts and memories for lifetimes to come. Share these keepsakes with others to inspire hope and build from the past, which can bridge to the future"
- "Even though the future seems far away, it is actually beginning right now"
- "Unity is strength... when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved"
- "Sad things happen. They do. But we don't need to live sad forever"
Mattie wrote four other books: ''Journey Through Heartsongs,'' ''Hope Through Heartsongs,'' ''Celebrate Through Heartsongs'' and ''Loving Through Heartsongs.''
Mattie J.T. Stepanek, who published five volumes of poetry and became an advocate for people with muscular dystrophy, died in his very early age -13. The cause was complications of the disease, the Muscular Dystrophy Association announced. Mattie was the association's national good-will ambassador from 2002 through 2004.
Mattie had dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy, a genetic neuromuscular disease that impaired almost all of his body's major functions, like heart rate, breathing, blood pressure and digestion, and caused muscle weakness. His mother, Jeni Stepanek, 44, has the adult-onset form of the disease, and his three older siblings died of the disease in early childhood.
